Flower Shops
by Spongecatdog
Summary: Shironeki just wanted to find whatever was making him sneeze so much, but he wasn't against meeting a cute flower boy in the process. [Day 5 of KaneKane Week]


**A/N: I am a horrible person and/or procrastinator QvQ **

**But! To make up for it, I've decided to make this a two-shot. I'll work on the second half as when I can, so expect it either tomorrow or Monday. **

**Prompt:**

**DAY 5 -"ONE AMERICAN PLEASE.": Oneshot / Masks /_ Alternate Universe_**

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><p>Shironeki sneezed and miserably grabbed another tissue to wipe away the snot running down his nose. He blew into it and threw it into the trash bin with a look of annoyance mixed with disgust. This had been going on for about two months now, and Shironeki was tired of it. Huffing, Shironeki decided to finally put an end to it and find out just what kind of flower was triggering his allergies. Never before had he had such strong reactions to something. He knew it had to be the flower shop below, because nothing else had been bothering him (or his nose) prior. And that's why he was now walking down the stairs to the flower shop below his apartment.<p>

Shironeki opened the door, raising an eyebrow at the stereotypical jingle of a bell. A loud crash alerted Shironeki to the fact that someone had dropped something and possibly broken it. Without even thinking about it, Shironeki rushed to help the bent over person picking up broken shards of a pot. He was so used to helping pick up shattered things from off the ground due to Banjou and Tsukiyama that helping clean had almost become second nature to him.

Shironeki felt the boy jerk his head upwards before he saw it. The top of his head hit Shironeki's jaw, making the white haired man's teeth make a loud 'chink'ing sound that didn't sound nice at all. Shironeki groaned and cupped his now sore jaw lightly. The boy- no, man- in front of him fell back with a bright red face while spewing out apology after apology before getting up, running away, and then coming back with an ice pack.

And that was how he met the man called Kaneki Ken.

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><p>From then on, it became a part of Shironeki's routine to stop by the flower shop and buy a bouquot. Of course, if anyone asked about it, Shironeki would tell them that he was 'testing each bouquot to see if they were the ones that made him sneeze'. Even if he said that, Shironeki wondered if the askers ever believed him. If he had to guess based off of their knowing smiles, he would say they didn't, but Shironeki likes to have some hope people still see him as the mysterious, not-easily-read man. Even if Shironeki did come in and talk to Kaneki every day and bring him coffee and maybe some cakes from time to time. Either way, he was definitely <em>not<em> spoiling Kaneki and trying to woo him in any way no matter what Hinami's mother insuated.

He was just trying to make Kaneki a little happier each day. Was that too much to help the black haired kid with?

Oh, and to also stop his sneezing of course.

So what if after he and Kaneki talked one day, and Shironeki walked him home one day? It was late at night (read: _7 pm_), and there were more and more dangerous things going on lately. Just yesterday, Shironeki saw two kids pushing each other around. But just because Shironeki was now walking Kaneki home each day didn't mean anything just like the fact the Shironeki would sometimes get the type of flowers Kaneki liked most (Spider Lilies) and casually handed them to the man when Kaneki was obviously having a bad day.

It didn't mean he _liked _Kaneki or anything.

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><p>Oh, who was he kidding? Somewhere along the way, he had fallen in love with the college student.<p>

* * *

><p>Shironeki sighed. He took at sip from his coffee (Americano today) as he watched Kaneki greet and thank a customer. He looked up when he hear a chuckle coming from his left. Without looking, Shironeki knew that Ryouko was standing beside him with a smile on her face. Shironeki idly wondered how the woman had turned from a kind, gentle lady to a teasing one who often tried to make him blush.<p>

"Still haven't said anything?"

Shironeki took a long sip of coffee to avoid answering. Unfortunately, the human body needs to breathe eventually, so Shironeki was forced to come up for air. He could hear faint giggles coming from Ryouko.

"I'm guessing that is a no?"

She paused for a second.

"You need to tell him, you know."

Her voice turned serious, causing Shironeki to turn his head to face her directly. Her facial expression was just as if not more solemn than her tone.

"He's not going to stay here forever, you know." Ryouko brushed back a stray hair. "Hinami and I both love him working here, but he has places to be, sites to see." Her smile turned bittersweet. "He's in college, you know. Kaneki is going places." Ryouko waved back at her daughter, who was standing with Kaneki. "Just make sure you're going with him."

Shironeki watched Ryouko walk away as he made a vow with himself.

He was going to do it. He was going to ask Kaneki out...

Tomorrow.


End file.
